Rick is from northern Ohio and Shirley from northern California. They were saved as children--Rick in a Christian camp and Shirley during revival meetings at her church. After they graduated from Bob Jones University in 1975, Rick continued for a year of graduate work, and Shirley taught preschool at church schools.

In 1976, after the death of dictator, General Franco, Spain became more open to missions. That same year Rick and Shirley were accepted by GFA as missionary candidates to Spain. While they were studying the language in Madrid, they helped a military church and visited Spanish churches. Then they worked as interns in a mission church in Jativa, Valencia, filling in for a missionary on furlough. Later they established mission Bible studies in surrounding cities and planted a church in Rota.

Nathan, their firstborn, was born in Cadiz, Spain. He was followed by Jason (6/1982), Seth (8/1985), Lydia (3/1988), all born in Jerez, Spain, and Philip (born in California, 12/1990).

After their furlough in 1989, the Armstrongs began working with Dr. John Mincy to reach Hispanics in California. The Iglesia Biblica Bautista de Antioquia grew from one family in 1989 to about 70 believers in 1994. The Antioch Bible Institute was established as part of the church. The Lord provided a church building and enabled the church to pay for it in two years. Mission outreaches have been started in several locations, and churches are now established with Hispanic pastors in Sacramento, Pinole, and Watsonville.

Rick completed a Master of Ministries program at Bob Jones University and received a Doctor of Divinity degree from Puerto Rico Baptist College. The three older Armstrong sons received ministerial degrees at BJU. Nathan and Lori (Thornton) are living in Florida where Nathan works as a youth pastor. They have two children, Josiah and Gabriel.  Jason married Heather (Davis), whose parents are GFA missionaries in Germany, are on deputation to serve with the Christian University of the Americas in Monterrey, Mexico. Jason and Heather have one daughter, Ana Sofia. Seth helps as an assistant at the church while he teaches in a Christian school. Lydia is a Graduate Assistant at BJU while studying for an MA in Church History, and Philip is a student at BJU, and in considering a ministry teaching in Mexico.

About 20 young people from Iglesia Biblica Bautista de Antioquia have studied at the Puerto Rico Baptist College or at Bob Jones University, and some are now planning on going into missions.  A number of the believers study at the Bible institute at the Antioch church, and Rick also provides a Ministerial Bible Institute to better train local Hispanic pastors and raise up other Hispanic churches.  He also teaches Master of Ministry courses in Mexico, Peru, and other Spanish-speaking countries, while representing GFA as their coordinator of Hispanic ministries to help churches reach the Hispanics in the USA, and establish other Hispanic churches.